Farmington Rates Stay the Same; Businesses Pay More for Power

Farmington, MO - Dean Bone owns the "EZ Stop" convenient store on the outskirts of Farmington. The rising rates for electricity means things are not as easy as you might think.

"The increase means approximately $1,500 a month. That's a huge chunk of my fixed costs," Bone said. His electric bill normally runs about $3,000 a month.

"We don't run the air conditioning unless it gets above 80 degrees. Thankfully it has not reached that level yet, but it soon will," Bone said.

Kathleen Black owns the "Four Seasons" Trailer Park in Farmington. She says residents have told her about the problems they face because of the electric rate hikes.

"I have retired people who live here, disabled people. I have some deciding whether or not to pay for their electric bill or buy medicine," Black said.

According to Mayor Charles Rorex, the rates will not go down anytime soon.

"Our rates and megawatt rates will stay the same, but might go down by 2008 or 2009," Rorex said.

The Farmington City Council meeting was moved from the council chambers to the auditorium in City Hall to accommodate the people who wanted to comment on the rate hikes. More than 150 showed up, but nothing was decided.